We all know that saying, "The grass is greener on the other side." But is it really? When things are going down hill or at a stand still, its easy to look at an other's life and think, "Wow, their life is so great." Have you been there, envying an other's life? For me to be honest I have to admit I have.When struggle seems to be at every corner of your life, you eyes can travel and think things would be so much better if you stepped into someone else's shoes. Ah, but to walk a mile in an other's shoes, we find out the grass is still green on both sides, and no matter how much better it might look on another hill, we are just trying to do the best we can.
A few months ago when things were really rough I was sitting next to a beautiful woman, listening to her speak. And before I knew it, I was thinking, "Wow, look at her. She's beautiful, she has the perfect family, and all is so wonderful in her life. Why not mine?" It wasn't twenty minutes later until she was in tears telling her story. As tears rolled down my cheeks, as my heart was breaking for her and her family, I felt the Lord tap my on the shoulder, and say, "Really, you want to trade and walk in her shoes a while?" Talk about having a wake up moment. Often what we think we see is not really what is there. Although she still is beautiful, she is a wonderful woman of God, and does has a beautiful family, nothing is really different between us. Our struggles are just different. We are still two women, walking with the Lord, calling out to Him, and trying to do our best with what we have. In the end, we are both His daughters, and He will provide, He will bless, and He will see us through our struggles.
We can get caught up in feeling as though someone else has a better life, but look a little deeper, and you will find they too have hurts, they are just different from yours and mine. Wherever we are standing in the grass, the Lord is going to keep watering it. He is still going to keep planting, and fertilizing that land to produce a great bounty for His glory.
Although we may see our struggles, may we not focus on them, but focus on the blessings. For when one door closes another opens. When God takes, He also gives new. Before we accept the new, we have to accept the changes. Before we experience the glory we must experience the trial.
We often think no one cries the tears we cry. We think no one else on earth knows our pain. For everything we have and will go through, we have a Lord who has been touched with it all. The only One we should be looking for to better our lives, for the example of our days is Jesus Christ. To want what someone else has is coveting. There is a reason that is a sin. For in that coveting we get caught up in thinking upon what other's have instead of seeing what we have right in front of our blinded eyes.
Don't allow your circumstance to blind your vision. Don't allow your loss to end all hope. Don't give in to this world's idea of what life should be. For this world has it all wrong. I have to say, I have not liked all the changes that have acquired in my life the past eight years or so, but as I sit before you today I have to be honest and say I wouldn't change a thing, for its through those changes, those no's, those closed doors, that the Lord has opened other doors, that He has moved me to other yes's, and He is molding me into who He has created me to be. For whatever is at your door today, open it. Embrace those changes and face them without fear, but with faith and trust in the Lord.
If we are not careful, the grass will always look greener no matter where we are standing. Stop looking for more blessings, and take those you have and embrace them with joy.
Hebrews 13:5-6 "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"
